Four takeaways from Indiana Pacers four preseason games

The Pacers begin the regular season tomorrow

The Indiana Pacers preseason was the first opportunity to see the new-look team in action. Bennedict Mathurin was a starter, Bruce Brown filled in many roles, and Obi Toppin debuted in the frontcourt. There was a lot to see for Indiana.

The Pacers went 2-2 in the tune up games, winning a pair at home and losing twice on the road. Fittingly, they went 2-0 when All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton suited up and 0-2 when he didn't. That could be a theme again during the regular season.

Haliburton led the Pacers in points, assists, and steals per game during the exhibitions while Jalen Smith was the rebounds leader and Myles Turner swatted the most shots. Those three all met or exceeded expectations.

There were other important notes from the preseason that are noteworthy for Indiana's regular season, which begins tomorrow. After four games, four takeaways stand out.

Indiana's defense needs work

The Pacers had a bottom-half defensive rating in the preseason, per RealGM. Numerically and by rank, it was better than last season's defense. But they also went against the Grizzlies without Ja Morant, the Hawks without Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, and the Cavaliers without Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen. Indiana dodged some All-Stars.

They still struggled to get stops, especially in Memphis and Houston. There were signs of growth during the later two exhibitions, and it will take time for the blue and gold to learn a new scheme. But they still have work to do on the less glamorous end of the floor.

They are attempting to limit opponent threes this season and be better in one-on-one situations. Those focuses will help, and a new strategy against pick-and-rolls will make things easier if they can execute it during games. So far, it has been a mixed bag. Better results will be needed in the regular season.

Bennedict Mathurin made important strides

Mathurin is entering an important second season with the Pacers. His talent is obvious, but his ability to fit in the Pacers up-tempo system as well as his pairing alongside Haliburton will be under a microscope.

In the preseason, he showed growth in both areas. With Haliburton, Mathurin was figuring out where his shots will come. But he looked comfortable and didn't stop the ball. His turnovers were an issue at times, but he still was complementary in those lineups.

Regardless of who Mathurin was paired with in the backcourt, he had four impressive games passing the ball and as a shooter. He averaged 2.3 assists per game in the preseason, nearly a full-assist jump from his rookie year, in just over 21 minutes while canning 38.5% of his threes.

If either one of those skills are maintained in the regular season, Mathurin could be headed for a big year. He fit in while standing out and is off to a promising start to his second campaign.

The rotation became more clear

The Pacers entered training camp with a ton of competition for minutes. Haliburton and Turner were set as starters, but basically every other role was up for grabs.

The starting five solidified itself. Haliburton, Mathurin, Brown, Toppin, and Turner did well together and should be the opening five when the regular season begins. The second unit, however, was different every game. A few players stood out.

Buddy Hield knocked down 37% of his triples and proved that he is still an important sixth man for the team. Aaron Nesmith clearly added some skill in the offseason, and it put him above other players competing for minutes. Andrew Nembhard settled in and did enough last year to have a safe spot in the rotation.

That left two spots, and two players elevated their level the most — T.J. McConnell and Jalen Smith. Smith was the best backup center by a considerable margin in the exhibitions and may have won the reserve five job while McConnell was as steady as ever. His distributing ability is needed with bench units.

Ben Sheppard and Jarace Walker had some nice moments, but their inconsistency and lack of experience were clear at times. Isaiah Jackson and Jordan Nwora were up and down. Those four could have earned a role but may not have done enough.

Things will change in the Pacers rotation during the regular season. But there are signs indicating who will, and won't, get playing time on opening night.

Aaron Nesmith may be headed for a jump

Nesmith, who received a contract extension on Monday, had a strong preseason. He was third on the Pacers in scoring (10.5 points per game) and did so in a different manner than he has before.

He drove to the rim and skated past defenders. Sometimes, that led to free throws — he averaged 2.3 attempts per game, over double his career average. His defense was still solid.

Nesmith did all that while toggling between two different positions and not missing a beat within any lineup. If he adds ball handling to his three-and-D base, Nesmith could be headed for a great fourth season.

Indiana kicks off the regular season on Wednesday night.

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• Exclusive: Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker joins Under Armour: 'It means the world'. CLICK HERE.
• Sources: Indiana Pacers and Aaron Nesmith agree to terms on a contract extension. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers take down Cleveland Cavaliers to close out 2023 preseason play. CLICK HERE.
• Bruce Brown is slotting into every role the Indiana Pacers throw at him. CLICK HERE.
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